Sanshiro Sugata
Seen it?1943 | 97 min | Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (80% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 37 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1943: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
A hotheaded youth in 1880s Meiji Japan apprentices to judo master Shōgorō Yano, trading brute jujutsu bravado for discipline and humility. As Sanshirō matures, he proves judo’s spirit against old-guard challengers—including a deadly duel—while falling for his vanquished opponent’s daughter. Based on the novel by Tsuneo Tomita, son of Tomita Tsunejirō, the earliest disciple of judo.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
80% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.5 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 54K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Akira Kurosawa
- Denjirō ŌkōchiShogoro Yano
- Susumu FujitaSanshiro Sugata
- Yukiko TodorokiSayo Murai
- Ryūnosuke TsukigataGennosuke Higaki
- Takashi ShimuraHansuke Murai, Sayo's father
- Ranko HanaiOsumi Kodana
- Sugisaku AoyamaTsunetami Iimura
- Ichirō SugaiPolice Chief Mishima
- Yoshio KosugiMaster Saburo Kodama
- Kokuten KōdōBuddhist Priest